The Italian love cake is a perfect dessert for Valentine's day. It is easy and quick to make layered chocolate cake with one layer of ricotta and mascarpone cheese and chocolate mascarpone topping.
This recipe is and italo-american one and here I give the directions to make it from scratch using fresh ingredients instead of cake and pudding mix.
STEP 1 - CAKE
INGREDIENTS
2, 5 cups All-purpose flour 1 cup Sugar 3 eggs 1 stick Butter 1/2 cup milk zest of a lemon. 2 tablespoons Baking powder 1 tablespoon Vanilla essence
5 tablespoons cocoa powder a pinch of salt
PREPARATION
Melt the butter in microwave for 1 minute at low power and whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Beat sugar and butter until fluffy with electric mixer and add the remaining ingredients together with the melted butter. Incorporate The whisked egg whites.
Pour the cake batter on a greased 26 cm round or 26 x 20 cm rectangular cake pan or in 8 cupcake mold.
Preheat oven to 350 F / Gas 4.
STEP 2 - Ricotta Filling
INGREDIENT 3 cups ricotta cheese 1 cup mascarpone cheese 3 large eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
PREPARATION
Mix all the ingredient together with an electric mixer and spread uniformly on top of the cake batter.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the chocolate layer has risen to the top (about 35-45 minutes). Let the cake cool completely.
STEP 3 - Chocolate Frosting
INGREDIENTS 1 cup mascarpone cheese 2 cups of cream for cakes 1 cup of milk 1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon starch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence PREPARATION In a saucepan add the starch and cocoa powder and slowly pour the cream and milk mixing to avoid lumps. Add the sugar and the essence of vanilla and place over low heat always mixing until it boils. Let it cool completely and with an electric mixer blend together the mascarpone until smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the cake and serve.
